ITSM skepticism becomes a crowded field

Oh my! another entrant in the ITSM skeptic stakes: Ian Clayton at ITSMI is now blogging. Given the other blog I mentioned today, it is getting to be a busy field.

Ah well, they come and they go but the IT Skeptic is still here. To me, it is just another sign of the communications vacuum surrounding ITIL V3, and it is no coincidence that both start-ups are certification-focused.

Is APMG still there?

Comments

There is only one skeptic!

Hi Skeptic - Yes I am blogging - well you set such a fine example - and then I saw my old mate Alan Nance with his blog. I hope the blog we have (re) started is one where we can place some facts to fuel the healthy skepticism of your fantastic (kiss butt) blog. It was that moneky-calling blogger you had that cast dispertions about whether you were posting more fact than fud that set me off.

So, wherever possible I shall offer a running commentary on what we hear as an accredited training organization. I will say here and now that our examination institute has been doing a good job of late pulling informational teeth from OGC and APMG. I heard a whisper from elsewhere that you are right about the frequent flyer system for the new ITIL Qualification scheme. It seems very complicated and far too much of an investment for most folks on this side of the pond. Practitioner and Manager are dead as the Monty Python parrot - nailed to the perch it seems.

Some folks continue to sell clustered practitioner - I bet because they know how the points system will work....

As of midnight tonight May 22 - we have no sample Foundation exams yet (due end of week), no final materials (due next Monday), yet the green light all round to order exams post June 13 - seems OGC wants to get this past them...

Another skeptical blog!

Flattery will get you everywhere. I don't spend enough time at Alan's blog. Wiring it in now...

SCEPTICISM ABOUNDS AND RIGHTLY SO!

As a long standing member of the Service Management community from all dimensions, that is as a member of vendor organisations, a consumer of services and also as a professional involved in the delivery of services to a user community I am, like many others, frustrated. V3 has clearly been developed to line the pockets of a few and create 'legend' status for mere mortals, many of whom have not used Service Management in anger for a very, very long time. I suspect a significant number would struggle to apply principles in a 'live environment'.

Fundamentally, we deliver services to our user community and in order to do so we should apply basic tenets of good Service Management. There is no compulsion to engage with V3 (although many vendors will now be struggling to understand the rules of engagement!), a common sense approach to services will suffice.

Thers is alot of froth being blown around at the moment and fundamentally I doubt whether there is a CEO in the world that has lost a minutes sleep to date. V3 will not change the shape or dynamics of any organisation in the world (less cash strapped ATO's - and there a a number of those around!). Users will still want incident resolution, service provision, change request capabilities etc etc - and does anyone, anywhere actually believe that they have the slightest interest in the demi Gods that have been behind V3?

Now, I am not for one minute saying that services should not be properly managed and aligned with the business (that is what we all as service providers should do from day one) - What I fundamentally question is the extraordinarily amateur approach of the V3 'team'.

Do not even get me started on what 'individual accreditation' is likely to look like. Trust me, managed by the individuals involved to date it will almost certainly be a complete hash, excruciatingly painful and complicated and I have no doubt that a number of 'vendor's' (only the chosen ones mind you!) will do very nicely out of it. Come out of the closet guys, we know who you. Which strangely enough takes me full circle - the same individuals who may just have been involved in creating V3? Or am I just too cynical?

The upshot of this minor rant is that I wlecome blogs such as this and trust that more will appear and that the voice of the V3 target is aired! Anon

vendors, pontificators and other hangers-on

Whew, I'm glad we gave you the forum to air your views. like so many in the community, you obviously needed that :-) I have a more positive view of the value of V3, but I do agree in general terms with your other comments.

The authors and advisors (IAG) of V3 do include quite a number of people who work actively in ITSM, as consultants in the field. They do of course also include vendors, pontificators and other hangers-on, but nevertheless I think you are a bit harsh. I would also say that the ITIL authors should be people who are good at gathering the IP from the field and ciommunicating it, which is not the same thing as many of the good ITIL practitioners I have met. So you are a bit harsh there.

But I think you are spot on regarding just how much the real world will care about V3.

And as for accreditation and certification, well... enough said.

FAIR COMMENT

OK - fair comments and I am partially back in my box.

In truth I am in agreement with Service Management being aligned to Business Strategy and the value that is gained from doing so - I recognise that V3 will address this. I have long held the belief that any 'good' Service Manager should be doing this instinctively and 2000+ pages of advice is probably a little over the top. I am therefore positive about the strategic intent of V3 but less enamoured with the detail or way in which it has been created and delivered to(should I say more accurately forced upon)the user community.

I am less convinced by the lukewarm praise you give to the authors. With known exceptions, most of the team have one aspiration in mind and that is to enhance their own perceived standing in the ITIL 'community'. For some, ITIL is a tool that can be used to enhance the quality of service, for others it is a business class, round the world junket!!! Now there is scepticism for you!!!

Nice work if you can get it

Nice work if you can get it. The Skeptic wouldn't mind being on the world speaking circuit either. In a way, that's not so bad: if V3 tanks, then all their authoring is for naught, so you could argue they have more at stake than a starry-eyed author who just wants to act for the good of humanity. More damage has been done with the best of intentions....

Now there is cynicism for you!

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